Last night I was looking back at my post titled Recipes for Winter: Soup, Chili, Stew & Curry and realized there is not a single soup on my site that boasts fish or shellfish as the main ingredient. For a person that will shamelessly lick the bottom of any bowl that contained shrimp or crab bisque, or open a big, fat bottle of Amarone just for an excuse to eat cioppino, this oversight lies just short of a travesty. As I am still making my way through New Year's Recipes for Good Health in an effort to live long and prosper, I decided not to add cream or milk to this chowder. Now I can lick the bottom of that bowl with a clear conscience.
As I discovered when I made Spicy Potato & Fennel Soup, fennel (also known as anise) has a mellow, pleasing flavor that lends a calming influence to stronger ingredients. In this chowder, the fennel is sweated with onion (cooked on low heat to release some of the moisture) before being joined by the kick of red chile flakes and garlic, and simmered with chicken broth and red-skinned potatoes. The shrimp, the star of the show, is added in the last five minutes so that it does not become overcooked and rubbery.
The recipe:
Heat olive oil in a large saucepan set over medium-low heat.
Add chopped onion and fennel and cook, stirring occasionally, until they are soft and translucent, about 10 minutes. Stir in red chile flakes and minced garlic and saute for 30 seconds.
Stir in chicken broth, turn heat to medium-high, and bring the mixture to a boil. Add diced red-skinned potatoes, return to a gentle boil and cook until potato is tender, about 25 minutes.
Stir in shrimp and simmer until shrimp is just cooked through, about 5 minutes. Take care not to overcook the shrimp or it will become rubbery. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with chopped fennel fronds. Serve.
Shrimp, Potato & Fennel Chowder
2 teaspoon olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 medium bulb fennel, cut into quarters and thinly sliced, fronds reserved for garnish
¼ teaspoon red chile flakes (or more, if desired)
1 clove garlic, minced
7 cups low-sodium chicken broth
6 medium red-skinned potatoes, cut into ½-inch dice
1 lb medium shrimp, shells and tails removed, cut in half crosswise
Salt and pepper to taste
Heat olive oil in a large saucepan set over medium-low heat. Add chopped onion and fennel and cook, stirring occasionally, until they are soft and translucent, about 10 minutes. Stir in red chile flakes and minced garlic and saute for 30 seconds.
Stir in chicken broth, turn heat to medium-high, and bring the mixture to a boil. Add diced red-skinned potatoes, return to a gentle boil and cook until potato is tender, about 25 minutes.
Stir in shrimp and simmer until shrimp is just cooked through, about 5 minutes. Take care not to overcook the shrimp or it will become rubbery. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with chopped fennel fronds. Serve.
Serves 6.
Belinda @zomppa
I'd lick this bowl upways sideways!
Jeanette
What a nice clean looking chowder, with no cream!
doughmesstic
I have fennel. I am a cook/baker. I have never used the fennel. It frightens me...I don't know why. Maybe because my mother never used it. Of course, she doesn't use cardamom, or mace, or thyme, lavendar...okay - I'll give it a shot! Your soup looks incredible!
Amanda
I'm with you... I LOVE shellfish!! Great recipe!
Maria
I need this to warm me up! It is so cold!
A Canadian Foodie
It's funny, it's odd, weird and contradictory. I completely enjoy - and sometimes LOVE fish soup when someone else makes it... but have absolutely ZERO desire to make my own. Shellfish soup, I always love... and have only every made clam chowder (so easy) - I LOVE shrimp and lobster bisques. Teach me how. Other fish and shellfish soups completely intimidate me. I think it's the prairie mentality. We love them, but don't live near an ocean.
Loved the read... HELP with the bisques?
🙂
Valerie
Heather (Heather's Dish)
i adore chowders...this one is no exception! i'm a little scared of the fennel in there, but it still sounds out of this world 🙂
Pegasuslegend
I love it! Terrific soup, and huge seafood lover here! I love all kinds of fish in my soup...this ones a keeper thanks!
theFromagette
Looks fantastic and guilt free!!!
kate
I am a huge anise fan and have started incorporating it into my soups too. It pairs so well with multitudes of things, my recent favo(u)rite being wild rice. A big hunk of crusty bread and some soup and I'm a happy camper. I love this recipe idea, it's going on my list of 'things to make in the new year'!